‘Vanilla’. It’s code for boring. Everyday. A bit colourless. Plain. Basic. Lacking bells and whistles. Which is kind of weird – not to mention unfair – as actual vanilla is expensive to buy and has incredibly complex, alluring flavours.

Vanilla comes from a bean produced by a type of orchid (Vanilla planifolia) that’s native to Mexico. FYI the name is from the Spanish word ‘vaina’, which means ‘little pod’. It was originally used by indigenous people in Latin America and when the Aztecs took over that part of the world, they too embraced vanilla and added it to xocolātl, their bitter cocoa drink of choice.

Like chocolate, vanilla was originally used as medicine and was first mentioned in Western texts in 1662. The Spanish introduced vanilla to Europe in the early part of that century and it became a hit; the aristocracy loved it and not just for the amazing flavour either as it was thought to have – what else? – aphrodisiac qualities. In the 1600's the French started using both chocolate and vanilla, adding vanilla to ice cream (genius!), and that’s how we came to have 'French vanilla ice cream’. Fun fact: the name is to do with the combination of egg custard and vanilla in the ice-cream and not that the vanilla is ‘French’ vanilla per se. Vanilla does actually not grow in France.

In the 1840s, it was discovered that vanilla could be hand-pollinated to produce their fruit (i.e. the beans, which are the business end of vanilla), instead of relying on pesky natural entities like the Melipona bee. This is the only bee known as a natural pollinator and it’s not found outside of Mexico, which is super inconvenient for vanilla production anywhere else. The advent of hand pollination made vanilla more accessible and relatively cheaper, although the process is laborious. Plantations sprouted up across Africa and Asia and today the world’s supply grows in Mexico, Madagascar (the world’s largest producer), Tahiti, Indonesia and Uganda. Mexican vanilla beans still have the reputation of being the world’s best. Anyway; back to history. In the 1850s, chemists isolated the main flavour component of vanilla, called vanillin. Then, in the 1870s, vanillin was isolated from a compound in pine bark of all places, paving the way for cheap, synthetic ‘vanilla’. The vanilla essence we use today is flavoured with artificially created vanillin.

Producing real vanilla beans is quite a rigmarole, which accounts for their expense. The green beans grow on the vine and are harvested when their tips start to turn yellow. The curing process is what gives them their characteristic brown colour and that incredible flavour and aroma. In Mexico, beans are cured by wrapping them in blankets and straw mats, then heating them in ovens for 24 to 48 hours. Next, they’re sun-dried during the day and placed in wooden boxes overnight to sweat. Once cured, the beans are stored on racks in special boxes to further develop their flavour; the whole curing process takes three to six months. In Tahiti, Africa and Indonesia the process is fundamentally the same but with a few variations along the way; in Madagascar, for example the beans are blanched first before the usual sweating, drying, and conditioning take place. Like coffee, wine and chocolate, vanilla produced in different locations exhibits different nuances and flavour profiles; beans also have slightly different sizes and shapes. Tahitian vanilla beans, for example, are wide and flat, while Madagascan ones, also called ‘bourbon’ after the Indian Ocean island of Réunion, formerly called Île de Bourbon, are thinner but have the most flavour.

Because real vanilla is so pricey in whichever form you buy it, you might not always need to shell out for the real thing. For example, if you’re making your own custards, creamy desserts like panna cotta or ice-creams, you’ll definitely want those lovely specks of actual seeds which only come from fresh-scraped beans or a good vanilla paste or powder. If you’re making a batch of cookies or brownies, just use an extract or even an essence. Although it’s mostly used in baking, desserts and drinks, there are savoury uses for vanilla too - chefs add it to delicate, buttery sauces for seafood, for example, as well as to vinaigrettes, marinades, rubs, butter and glazes. 

Forms of Vanilla

Vanilla is available in various forms, each with its own unique characteristics:

Vanilla Beans: The whole beans (or ‘pods’) are prized for their intense flavour and aroma. They can be split open and scraped out to extract the seeds, or infused whole into liquids for a more subtle flavour. If scraping the seeds, pop the scraped pod into a container of cater sugar to make vanilla sugar. Over a week or two the flavour will infuse the sugar, which is perfect in baking and dessert recipes. When selecting vanilla beans, look for plump, oily-looking beans that are supple and fragrant.

Vanilla Extract: Made by macerating vanilla beans in alcohol and water, vanilla extract is a convenient and affordable way to add vanilla flavour to baked goods and desserts.

Vanilla Paste: A blend of vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds, vanilla paste offers the best of both worlds – the convenience of extract with the visual appeal of the seeds.

Vanilla Powder: Made from dried and ground vanilla beans, vanilla powder is perfect for dry mixes and situations where liquid extract is undesirable. You could also use it in custard, and other dessert-making situations.

Vanilla Essence: As mentioned above, many essences don’t contain vanilla as such; they’re flavoured using vanillin. Look for phrases like ‘extract of vanilla beans’ on the labels to know you are at least getting some actual vanilla in your essence. Or just shell out slightly more for extract. Essence is the most budget-friendly option.